The UCLA Women’s Basketball team, led by 15th-year head coach Cori Close, won its first-ever March Madness Tournament last Sunday, thanks to a 79-51 defeat of the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Lady Bruins capped off their best season ever with a dominant 37-1 record and a #1 ranking in the Associated Press poll.
UCLA led by as many as 35 points late in the fourth quarter, while South Carolina did not have a lead at any point in the game. Center Lauren Betts was named Most Outstanding Player after recording 15 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Gabriela Jaquez, the sister of Miami Heat player Jaime, recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal in 34 minutes. Gianna Kneepkens rattled in a trio of three-pointers, and Kiki Rice recorded 3 steals and 5 assists. Angela Dugalic (9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, steal, block) was the sole scorer off the bench, as the starters played the role of mitochondria.
Close told a source, “It’s beyond my wildest dreams. It’s been cool because of the people I’ve gotten to share it with. It’s all about the heart.”
This is the Big Ten’s first women’s basketball title since Purdue in 1999. This was only the second Final Four appearance for UCLA Women’s Basketball, next to 2025. They won the title game in their first attempt.
On the other side, the Gamecocks finished second fiddle for the second year in a row, and rightfully so. Legendary head coach Dawn Staley struggled to recover from her incident with UConn head coach Geno Auriemma during the post-game at the Final Four.
Dawn commented on the Geno situation, “I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear – I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game. One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from.”
The women’s basketball offseason and transfer portal periods have officially opened in preparation for next winter. What’s next for UCLA as the defending champs?
